I Knew That Voice
**Arjun's POV**
I don't fall for people.
I get bored.
I get curious.
I get distracted.
But I don't fall.
When I was younger, I liked Sasha.
Actually liked her. Even confessed.
She rejected me in the most Sasha way possible — arrogant, logical, slightly brutal.
"Focus on studies, Arjun."
So deep.
During lockdown, I liked Tanya.
That was more of a quiet thing. Late-night chats. Shared notes. That soft almost-something.
But nothing serious happened.
Then she came into picture.
Before I saw her, I heard her.
That's the stupid part.
Online classes, 10th grade. Everyone sounded the same — bored, sleepy, forced.
But then there was this one voice.
Clear. Steady. Not loud, not dramatic. Just… sure.
When she answered questions, she didn't rush. She didn't try to impress. She just spoke like she knew she was right.
I didn't even know her face properly. Just a small profile picture. Blurry.
But I remembered the name.
Kiara.
And I remember thinking —
"She sounds confident."
Which was rare.
Most people tried too hard. She didn't.
So when school reopened, I was already a little curious.
Just a little.
---
## The First Time I Saw Her
She walked in early.
I noticed because I also come early. Not because I'm disciplined — because I hate rushing.
She wasn't talking to anyone. Just sitting there, back straight, hands folded loosely on the desk. Observing.
Not awkward. Not desperate.
Just… watching.
Her hair was tied that day. Simple ponytail. No drama.
White uniform. Sleeves slightly rolled.
Which suited her perfectly.
And her face —
Not the kind that screams for attention.
The kind that holds it quietly.
Sharp eyes. Not soft, not fragile.
The kind that look like they're always thinking.
Her lips pressed together like she was holding something back.
Maybe words. Maybe nerves.
She looked confident and nervous at the same time.
I hate that I noticed all this.
So annoying.
---
Abhishek followed my gaze.
"New admission."
"I know," I said.
"Online topper, right?" Siddharth added.
"Yeah."
Vihaan leaned back in his chair. "Let's see if she's actually smart."
I didn't respond.
Because I wasn't thinking about her marks.
I was thinking —
"She looks different from how she sounds."
Not weaker.
Just… quieter.
---
## First Week
She didn't talk much.
Answered when teachers asked. Always correct.
But outside that? Silence.
Not shy-shy.
More like careful.
I saw Tanya sit beside her on the first day. Then switch seats later.
Kiara didn't react.
But I noticed her fingers tightening slightly around her pen.
Small things.
She hides reactions well.
---
## The Moment
I'm not a topper.
I survive.
I pass comfortably.
I score enough to avoid lectures at home.
But I've never cared about ranks. That's not my battlefield.
Sports? Yes.
People? Definitely.
Academics? Eh. Manageable.
Then there's her.
Kiara.
The girl who answers before the teacher finishes the question.
The girl who explains things like she's teaching the class.
The girl who actually competes for first rank.
One day, teacher asked a difficult physics question. The class went silent.
She raised her hand.
Explained it step by step. Calm. Clear. Confident.
Same voice.
That voice I heard months ago.
The voice that made me curious.
And something clicked.
It wasn't just curiosity anymore.
It was attention.
---
## Messaging Her
I didn't text immediately. I'm not desperate.
Okay maybe slightly.
I waited three days. Then texted.
"Hey. You're the one who explained that physics answer, right?"
She replied,
"Yes."
No emoji. No extra words.
Cold.
I smirked.
Challenge accepted.
We started talking about studies at first. Notes. Teachers. Syllabus.
Then slowly, random things.
She complained about strict parents once.
I sent a meme about survival.
She actually laughed. Sent "Idiot."
That was progress.
And it gradually grew more logical and mature conversations. Open. Classis her.
After months, I actually started sharing everything with her. I loved knowing her opinion.
---
## Observing Her
The more I looked, the more I noticed.
She bites her lower lip when she's concentrating.
She taps her pen when she's irritated.
When she laughs properly, she throws her head back slightly.
And when she thinks no one is looking, her face softens.
That's my favourite version.
Soft Kiara.
But she doesn't show that side easily.
---
## Sitting Near Her
After a week, I started choosing seats closer to her.
Not next to her always. That would be obvious.
But same row. Or behind.
Just close enough to hear her talk.
Abhishek noticed. Of course he did.
"You planning your future seating arrangement?"
"Shut up."
Vihaan said nothing.
He just watched. He's difficult to understand.
---
## Gradually Becoming Friends
It didn't happen in one big dramatic scene.
It was small things.
Sharing notes when we missed a point.
Arguing over which teacher is worse.
Competing in class tests.
Once she got 1 point more than me in a silly debate.
I leaned toward her desk.
"Enjoy it. Won't happen again."
She raised an eyebrow.
"We'll see."
That spark?
God.
That's when I knew I was gone.
---
## The Reels
At first I sent normal ones.
Then slightly romantic ones.
Nothing direct. Just… suggestive.
One reel said:
"When she's smarter than you but still pretends she isn't."
She replied:
"Who is she?"
I typed. Deleted. Typed again.
"You'll know."
She left it on seen.
So annoying!
But next day in class, she didn't avoid me.
That meant something.
---
## The Hair Thing
That day her hair was open.
I swear I didn't plan it.
But when that strand fell back and she didn't notice…
I touched it lightly. Twirled it once. Her hair is so damn silky. Urged me to play with it more.
She stiffened. Turned.
"What are you doing?"
"Relax. I was fixing it."
"You're weird."
"Still talking to me though."
She didn't answer.
But she didn't move away either.
And that small permission?
It felt bigger than it should have.
---
## With My Friends
Canteen.
Sasha smirked. "You look distracted these days."
"Exams are near."
Abhishek laughed. "Exams have long hair now?"
I kicked him under the table.
Tanya watched quietly.
"Don't hurt her," she said softly.
That annoyed me.
"I'm not like that."
And for once, I meant it.
Because this didn't feel like a timepass crush.
This felt… steady.
Like something I didn't want to ruin.
---
Within a week, I was curious.
Within two weeks, I was invested.
Within a month, we were friends.
Real friends.
We talked daily.
Teased each other.
Shared small secrets.
But underneath all that friendship…
There was tension.
The kind that makes your heart beat faster when they sit too close.
And I knew —
If I wasn't careful,
This wasn't going to stay simple.
And I wasn't sure I wanted it to. 😼